Hey there dumb question maybe but can I have samples on tracks 1-4 and fx them thru neighbor tracks on 6-8
I want to use track 5 as a thru for my inputs from external gear and process that and my samples on neighbor tracks on 6-8
I can’t get my neighbor fx on 6-8 to effect my samples tho
I think neighbor tracks on 6-8 only pickup audio from track 5, and NB on 3-4 only pickup track 1.
Thx I believe that is correct. Tried to find in manual but got lost in there. Weird thing is yt 8 as master will fx everything but then like you said 5-8 separated from 1-4
You could do a flex track on T5 playing a recorder recording T4 in almost real-time.
Recorder trig on 1, play trig on 1 but micro-timed just a tad later. Maybe play with FIN to avoid clicking.
Nothing wierd here at all.
It is normal neighbour machine behaviour, and master track behaviour, as described in the manual.
Neighbour machines will only affect the track above it numerically with limitation.
If you look at the OT screen you have 4 tracks on the left, 4 on the right. Neighbour machines on the left will affect tracks on the left only. Same for the right side.
If using T8 as master, all audio routed to main is sent through the track FX before hitting main outputs.
Again. Normal behaviour.
So to answer your original question.
No you cannot have samples on T1-T4 and use neighbour machines on T 5,6,7 put effects on T 1-T4.
Thx!
You could also work with CUE.
Switch to STUDIO mode, then you can route T1 - T4 towards CUE and not into MAIN using the separate volume controls.
Then cables out from CUE to IN AB or IN CD to IN AB or CD as a THRU track on T6. T7 and T8 can be then assigned as neighbour tracks for T6.
I think that should work 
Cool thing is that you can still bleed in clean signal to MAIN or adjust the incoming level towards T6 per sample.
Also, you could even route T5 the same way!
CUE CFG
CUE CFG offers settings which can make the cue outputs function as an assignable pair of outputs. Two
settings are available. Only one setting can be activated at a time. Read more about the cue outputs in
section “11.6 MAIN AND CUE OUTPUTS ROUTING” on page 64.
• NORMAL will make the cue outputs function normally, meaning a track will be routed to the cue outputs when [CUE] + [TRACK] is pressed.
• STUDIO will disable the normal cue functionality. Audio tracks can now be routed to the cue outputs
as if they were a standard pair of assignable outputs. Each audio track gets two independent LEV
settings, one for the main outs and one for the cue outs. Adjust the LEV setting for the main outputs
by turning the LEVEL knob. Adjust the LEV setting for the cue outputs by pressing [CUE] and turning
the LEVEL knob. Muting a track while STUDIO mode is enabled will mute the sound from both the
main and cue outputs.
A.4 NEIGHBOR MACHINE Neighbor machines listen to the output of the preceding track. Multiple tracks with Neighbor machines can form extremely powerful effects chains. Neighbor machines cannot be assigned to track 1 or 5.
Analogy : In your street you can share beers with next number neighbor but there is an highway between residents 1-4 and residents 5-8.
| T 1-4 | Highway | T 5-8 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | ! | ! | T5 | |
 |
! | ! | |
|
| T2 | ! | ! | T6 | |
|
! | ! | |
|
| T3 | ! | ! | T7 | |
|
! | ! | |
|
| T4 | ! | ! | T8 |
Residents T4 and T8 can drink up to 8 beers…
But, you can build a bridge using recorders and Flex : T5 can record T4 and play it directly with a Flex.
That way resident T8 can drink up to 16 beers !
Using that rec / flex bridge principle, you can share beers with any resident.
Explaining to kids, use apples. Explaining to adults, use beers!
It just make sense! 
Look into Merlin’s Guide for the Octatrack as well.
It won’t cover some of the routing nuances and potential as well as the main manual but it does go into some overall uses and strategies with the OT that helped me make sense of it early on.
Thx and yea I have been going thru the Merlin guide it actually demystified the box a lot for me and got me going what a great document.
This rules. I mainly use OT as an fx box for external gear so this could work in many of my different setups thank you for the tip been meaning to figure out the whole cue potential on there.
CUE use is different from Neighbors. It can be used as an fx send. STUDIO mode isn’t necessary, compared to NORMAL mode, STUDIO mode displays CUE and link MAIN and CUE mutes. Same audio wise.
With NORMAL mode you can mute MAIN and CUE send independently.
Using CUE as fx send, you can route it internally without cables by using Rec / Flex. Better quality (avoid DAAD conversion), less latency.
Using CUE send / cables / Thru is simpler to set up. And you can add fx in the loop.
In both cases you can send back the fx return track to CUE, so it adds feedback. But using rec / Flex, you can get much more crazy fx by pitching / reverse recording live and send back to CUE for feedback…
Drum loop sent to CUE / Rec / Flex with pitch, delay, comb filter, feedback…